Brexit.- The EU postpones a meeting with the United Kingdom representative in Brussels amid diplomatic tension
BRUSSELS, Jan 28, 2021 (Europa Press) –
The European Union has postponed a meeting with the head of the UK mission to the EU, Lindsay Croisdale-Appleb, amid diplomatic tension between Brussels and London after the British Executive refused to recognize the status of ambassador to the representative of the EU in the islands, Joao Vale de Almeida.
Community sources confirm to Europa Press the undated postponement of the Croisdale-Appleb meeting with Charles Michel’s chief of staff, Frédéric Bernard. It was an appointment to maintain a first contact after his recent appointment.
“After the last dispute between the United Kingdom and the EU, we have decided to postpone the meeting. It is clearly not useful to organize any meeting with British officials until there is a political clarification,” the sources said.
In Brussels, the decision of the British Executive not to give the status of ambassador to Vale de Almeida has generated indignation. They criticize that in this way London tries to impose its approach on diplomatic relations with the EU and, especially, they ugly that it aired this matter in the press before formally communicating it.
Faced with this crisis, the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, indicated this week that the movement is not flattering for the good progress of relations and assured that the EU would not allow the United Kingdom to be the only country in the world in the one that the community representation does not have that diplomatic status.
“The United Kingdom has left the EU and we have signed a trade agreement, okay, but it must stop treating us like rubbish,” said the sources consulted, visibly angered by the British attitude.
After definitively leaving the European bloc, London intends to treat the head of the community delegation solely as a representative of an international organization, which in Brussels they consider a degradation that violates diplomatic reciprocity and involves skipping a question of principle.
